High Fells of Cragside 10m

10.06.18

10/06/2018. Back for 2018 but this time it’s different. Firstly it’s moved away from the pesky winds of winter to a glorious summers day. Secondly it’s part of the High Fells Trail Series so there are a load of prizes on offer for people who want to race it.

Why not come and do some trail running on one of the most famous estates in the north east? National Trust’s own Cragside was home to the world famous engineer/inventor William Armstrong who was one of the biggest industrial players of his day. He bought a house and a plot of land just north of Rothbury and over the years sculpted it to be the absolute delight you see today. Now it’s your turn to run through the carefully manicured trees, past the wrought iron bridge that looks up at the house, near the Archimedes screw and marvel at the beauty of the environment.

We’re offering one amazing distance for this event of ten miles (more like 9.5 but it will feel further!). The route will be tackling a lot of the famous parts of the grounds but we draw the line at running through the actual house itself! To get round here swiftly you will need to be comfortable with sharp climbs and be nimble on your feet for the descents.

Those of you who have visited Cragside before will know that the tracks are much varied in their distance, terrain and gradient. To us this makes the perfect combination to test all aspects of running off road. The long forest tracks cover good distances but are very rarely (never) flat and the connecting trails can be rocky, twisty and tight. Concentration is key in this kind of setting.

In return we’ll give everyone a tech t-shirt and a medal as well as cajoling you around the route, fully waymarking the course, providing safety cover and cheering you along. We will have marshals and a safety staff stationed at checkpoints where you will find water and sugary snacks to keep you going. Jelly babies feature highly on the requested foods for getting round! Gluten free and vegan stuff will be provided. At the end you can do your bit for the local economy by stopping for a cup of coffee and a cake at the delightful Cragside cafe or even stop to have a good look around the place.

Off Road

DISTANCE

10m

ASCENT

Not too much

GRADE

Technical

LAST ENTRY

04/06/18

Entries

Entries open via sientries soon. £20 per person or £22 for non affiliated runners. You will get safety cover, feed station, fully marked course, finishers medal and event tee. Please read the full terms and conditions here before entering. Just to be clear, there are no transfers, deferrals or refunds for this event.

Cut-Offs

There are no cut-offs for this event. Take as long as you like. We reserve the right to take you out of the event on safety or medical grounds.

Experience

No experience required for this event. It’s a good way to get started with other friendly trail runners.

Route Marking

The route will be fully marked. A GPX file will be sent out in the info pack 1 week prior to the event.

Checkpoints

There will be one feed station about half way round. Feel free to stuff your face with as much as you like.

Medical Info

If you have any medical conditions you must tell us in advance of the run. A professional medical team will be on site to deal with major incidents. First aiders can also be found around the course. Each runner will be given essential safety info to take round with them that has key details on it. Mountain Rescue are informed of the event. The nearest hospital is Cramlington Accident and Emergency Hospital.

Mandatory Kit

Late October could mean some fruity conditions so you need to be prepared. The run won’t be called off due to bad weather (extreme weather and lightning apart) so you’ll just have to deal with it. Here’s your list:

Enough fluid for 1 hour of running

Emergency whistle

Spare food of your choice.

Mobile phone. It will only work when high up but it can be a vital lifeline in an emergency.

Please ensure you bring this kit.

Map

FAQ

Got something on your mind? We might be able to help you here:

Do I need to register in advance?

Yes. All participants must enter in advance using our online booking. For registration info please see above.

Will we receive a map of the route?

You will be sent the map as part of the runner information pack around 1 week prior to the event. There will be a map of the route on display in the registration area. The route will be well marked but in the event of any issue refer to your map. The route is well sign posted with marshals at key points.

Are there Age Limits for Participants?

Yes. All runners must be 17 or over.

Should I bring my family?

Why not. Each runner entered gets 2 free other entries into Cragside. Anyone beyond this needs to pay to get in or have a National Trust card.

Can I bring my dog?

You can bring your bog to the event but not out onto the run. Dogs need to be on a short lead and where on the estate

What Shoes Should I Wear?

Trail or fell running shoes are highly recommended. The terrain can be very tricky here and if it gets wet you may in for some quality mud sliding.

Can we stay the night before?

There are plenty of places to stay in the area should you be travelling from further afield. Have a look at Wooler or Rothbury on Google for B&B’s.

Do I need a support team?

No. We will man the event and make sure you get round OK. You will need to bring essentials such as a kit list/compulsory items mentioned above.

What happens if I drop out?

We encourage anyone to try as hard as they can but there is no point in going beyond your limits. Injury, fitness or even a family emergency may mean you have to leave the event. If this happens on the course please go to the nearest checkpoint/marshal and let them know you are dropping out. If you only go to one checkpoint please try and make it the registration area as this is the final count of who has finished and left the area. If you don’t then we’ll presume you are missing and go on a man hunt! Always sign out of the event.